


kill the limbo

by pseudocordelia



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coming Out, M/M, Meeting the Parents, Sexual References, modern setting but like before everyone and their dog had cellphones, niles fall shipping celebration, niles pumpkin spice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-15 23:37:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16073765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pseudocordelia/pseuds/pseudocordelia
Summary: Owain always keeps a window unlocked for a special someone.





	kill the limbo

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt "rain".

It just started raining; and Owain cannot sleep. He’s heard a lot of people say that rain makes it easier to fall asleep; yet for him it makes it harder. Not because he fears thunder or dreads the thought of mud in the morning; because it means someone’s not coming. 

He found it easier to sleep somehow with the excitement, the anticipation, to wake up to… something. He loved finding freshly picked flowers, or small things that Niles had found that made him think of him. Even better was having Niles wake him up; to do unspeakable, but lovely things to him in the high spirits of the night; to only disappear by the morning. However, despite his talents, Niles probably couldn’t sneak in undetected if he had one hand occupied with an umbrella; and he didn’t want to get wet either. 

(Owain couldn’t tell if Niles could break in so easily because his house’s security was really bad, or because Niles was really good. It was meant to keep paparazzi out; but then again, not that many cared about the fifth-in-line to the Ylissean throne. Especially not in Nohr. And also thieves; but they had guards for that kind of thing. 

Owain did know of one major security flaw, though: he always kept a window unlocked for Niles.) 

-

Odin and Niles met by chance. Odin didn’t want to move to Nohr in the first place; yet his mother was to become an ambassador there as a symbol of good will between the kingdoms. 

That meant leaving behind his friends in Ylisstol. (Although somehow or other, he ended up seeing Inigo everyday again. His mother had became one of the king’s dancers. Severa came too, as Cordelia was hired as part of Lissa’s security.)  
That meant he was allowed to leave the house even less than he was in Ylisse; Nohr’s capital was full of thieves. That meant he had to go to a new school.

Lissa talked of how Nohr had a prince the same age as him; that he went to this school. Some posh, private place with only around 100 students; all male. She thought it’d be lovely if the two became friends.

Owain wasn’t listening. He was playing video games and just saying “yes” to everything. Yet when his first day came, he couldn’t help but be curious about the tan, dishevelled (and somewhat handsome) boy with an eyepatch and a ponytail. No family full of rich stuck-ups would let their son have such long hair and present themselves like that. He couldn’t help but stare.

It was the middle of a geography class. The boy mouthed “take a picture; it’ll last longer.” Owain blushed and turned back to the teacher; pretending to listen. In reality, he was thinking about whether or not he should try and tell ‘the boy’ he was looking at the map behind him. (You know, like a liar.)

-

During his first lunch, Owain had gone straight to the library. He wanted to borrow some (comic) books; considering he’d be locked up for most of his free time. 

That’s when he saw ‘the boy’ again. He really wanted to know his name; but he couldn’t just ask. The boy was sitting at a table, pen in hand and workbook in front of him, but he was looking at Owain instead, smirking at him.

“I wasn’t looking at you - I was looking at the map behind you.”  
“Oooh, really? I thought you’d rather look at me than the provinces of Plegia. I know quite a few people would.”  
“I… I-” It took quite a level of embarrassment for Owain to stutter. “What’s your name?”  
“Rude to ask what you’re not willing to give.”  
“I am Owain Dark! Remember that name, for it shall be the o-”  
“Niles.” The bo- Niles interrupted. “So, you’re new around here, huh? I do have quite a thing for blonds, so it’s a pleasure to meet you, Owain.”  
“I-it is a pleasure to meet you as well, my good comrade!” He was so loud from embarrassment that he could feel the librarian’s stare from all the way across the room. (Why did the librarian look like she was twelve?) 

Owain liked this Niles. He didn’t mention his royalty, and whether it was through lack of knowledge or kindness, Owain didn’t know; but all the others who attempted to befriend him had made mention of it. He didn’t want to be Owain, Prince of Ylisse; he just wanted to be Owain.

Through this Niles, he met Leo. Just like his mother had wanted; they had became friends. Leo didn’t want to be Leo, Prince of Nohr; he just wanted to be Leo. Owain loved having someone who could relate to those hardships.

He learnt that this Niles was Leo’s personal guard, and had been adopted by the Nohrian royal family. He learnt how he lost his eye; he learnt about his love for stargazing. Owain liked Niles.  
So much so that within around a fortnight of meeting they ended up making out behind a tree in the school’s courtyard. That probably wasn’t what his mother wanted.

-

Because of the curfews and restrictions Owain had to “protect” him; on school breaks and weekends, they didn’t really get to see each other. In the daytime, at least. But rain pattered against Owain’s roof; so he had no hopes of seeing him.

Then his window creaked open. And he heard the annoyed groans of someone. “Weather reporters are bastards.” 

Owain had already jolted out of bed the moment he heard the window open. He flicked the lights on. Hopefully nobody else was awake to notice that. “Niles! Do you need a towel or anything?” 

“I need it to stop raining” he sighs, whilst placing down a bouquet. “Well, my love; I picked these from Krakenburg’s gardens. Red carnations; they symbolise admiration and fascination…”  
He seemed pensive. Water dripped from his hair and onto the floor. Owain had already opened the door to his ensuite to get a towel. He was panicking about what to do. He was not good at panicking. 

“Your hair is soaking! What do we do? I have a hairdryer but it’s loud and I don’t want you getting caught-”  
“You’ve made a lot louder noises whilst trying not to get caught.”  
“Niles! This is no time for your perverse frivolities!” 

It was just like the first time they met in the library. He was shouting from embarrassment. He couldn’t send Niles back into the rain, for he’d blame himself if he got sick; but the rain didn’t look like it was stopping anytime soon except Niles needed to leave before morning came and Owain was panicking.

“It seems you’re the pervert here; I said nothing lewd. You’re making noises louder than a hairdryer right now, and there’s nothing sexual happening. Although I suppose I am here…”

“Shut the fuck your mouth!” Owain’s fear of getting caught made him nervous; making his voice louder increasing the chance of getting caught. It was ironic. Most of the time when Niles came it was quiet and blissful, (except for the moans) but this rain alone messed everything up. And Owain was paranoid because he thinks he heard a door open; but he’s not too sure.

“I’m sorry. I was just trying to lighten up the mood…” again, Niles sighs. “Besides, what’s the daytime security here like anyway? If I do get caught Leo’s brother will bribe the cops. Besides…” he stepped closer, making sure Owain was fully aware of his presence, “if you tell your parents, what’s the worse thing that’ll happen? I am of lower birth, but considering my relation with the Nohrian royal family, I’m of higher class than your father before he married Princess Lissa.”

Owain pondered that; trying to ignore the fact he thought he heard footsteps coming down the halls. Out of nervousness, he ended up looking at his own feet. “They don’t know I like guys.”

“You’ll have to tell them someday. Besides, your Aunt, Exalt Emmeryn brought in marriage equality to Ylisse; and pressured Plegia to follow. Do you really think she’d be that mad, if at all…?”

Niles was right. Truth was; Owain hadn’t told her yet because he had spent a long time questioning whether or not he did like guys. He definitely knew the answer now, thanks to Niles; he just held himself back because his paranoia snowballed.

Then he definitely hears a knock on his door.  
“Owaaaain? Are you alright? I thought I heard shouting.”  
Owain looks back to Niles; Niles smirks back at him and nods; as if gesturing to get it over and done with.

“Mother, can we talk?”  
“Sure, I guess… but I’m sleepy.”  
“I, um, have a boyfriend. Named Niles.”  
“Whaaaaat? Is he cute? Actually, that explains where all those flowers came from… I never actually saw you picking them. I was wondering about that for a while!”  
“Oh, and he’s right here now. We’re having a…. sleepover.”  
“Okay! Tell me earlier next time. Wait, when did he show up?” Owain was kinda thankful that it was late. Lissa was thinking a lot less thoroughly.  
“You mustn’t have noticed him.”  
“Oh, fair enough. I’m gonna go back to sleep, so keep the noise down! Make sure to properly introduce me in the morning.”  
“Good night, mother.”  
“Good night, Owain! I love you!” With that, the sound of footsteps going back down the halls resonated. That was a bit anticlimactic.

And once they could no longer hear footsteps; Niles bursted out into laughter. “I snuck out in the middle of the night, like every Saturday for several months, and had to climb that dumb fence every single time for this? Gods, Owain, you make me laugh for all the wrong reasons!”

Owain blushed again. Even if this would be the topic of teasing for a few years to come; he’s glad he got the courage to get this over and done with. If it wasn’t the middle of the night, and if he hadn’t done it on a whim, only Naga knows how much longer Niles would have to climb that fence.

**Author's Note:**

> If you noticed any grammar mistakes, typos or spelling errors, please point them out in the comments! Thank you for reading.


End file.
